Author: Joe Soriano

LaLiga manager takes brutal shot at Real Madrid’s tactics in comparison to Barcelona’s
31Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features, LaLiga

LaLiga manager takes brutal shot at Real Madrid’s tactics in comparison to Barcelona’s

Although Real Madrid tore Real Valladolid apart in the second half of a 3-0 win, it took them some time to get going. Furthermore, it has been Real's only win to this point in the LaLiga season after three games. The new-look attack with blockbuster signing Kylian Mbappe has looked worse than last year's iteration, with Mbappe cutting a frustrated - and often selfish - figure up top, failing to connect with his more successful teammates, Rodrygo Goes and Vinicius Junior. Real Madrid drew 1-1 to both Mallorca and Las Palmas, and with Barcelona putting together a commanding 7-0 display against Real Valladolid reminiscent of LaLiga of 10 years ago, the Blaugrana suddenly look like the stronger side. After Barcelona decimated Valladolid in a vintage Hansi Flick coaching display, Real ...
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Grading every Newcastle transfer of the summer 2024 window
31Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

Grading every Newcastle transfer of the summer 2024 window

Newcastle qualified for the Champions League in the 2022/23 season in their first season under Saudi Arabian ownership, and then they slid back to disappointment in the 2023/24 season, failing to qualify for the Champions League and build on their success. Faced with the need to have a big summer, Newcastle ended up with a poor offseason, signing no new starters and instead focusing heavily on depth players. Not all was bad for Newcastle this summer, but for what was needed to get back to the Champions League level, this window was clearly lacking. So here are the grades for all of Newcastle's summer 2024 signings, with prices coming from Transfermarkt. GK Odysseas Vlachodimos, €23.6M Odysseas Vlachodimos is a very good goalkeeper who is capable of challenging Nick Pope as the new ...
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The best possible Crystal Palace lineup after Eddie Nketiah and Trevoh Chalobah transfers
31Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

The best possible Crystal Palace lineup after Eddie Nketiah and Trevoh Chalobah transfers

Crystal Palace made two major signings in the summer 2024 transfer window, bringing in Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah as part of their attacking solution while replacing Fulham-bound star center back Joachim Andersen with Chelsea's underappreciated Trevoh Chalobah. While Chalobah isn't necessarily going to be immediately as good as Andersen, he is a useful addition to the back line and could prove to be a better solution for Crystal Palace in the long run with a greater resale value, owing to his younger age. Meanwhile, Nketiah is a gamble at 30 million pounds, but the talented striker has the ability to become one of the top strikers in the Premier League, especially with a strong supporting cast around him. Although Crystal Palace were unable to hold onto their best player, Micha...
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31Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

Grading every summer 2024 transfer made by Leicester City

In an effort to stay up in the Premier League this time around, Leicester City had one of the most active summer transfer windows of any team in the top flight, investing heavily in a few players while signing a handful of more bargain additions - or loans. At the end of the window, Leicester City have a more balanced and well-rounded squad with the upside of having a few contributors who could explode for big 2024/25 seasons that could play a pivotal role in the Foxes avoiding the drop. Here is a grade for every major Leicester City signing of the summer 2024 transfer window. All prices are courtesy of Transfermarkt. DM Oliver Skipp, €23.5M Oliver Skipp is one of the most gifted young midfielders in English football, but the 23-year-old never quite took off at Tottenham, failing t...
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The best possible Chelsea starting lineup with Jadon Sancho
30Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

The best possible Chelsea starting lineup with Jadon Sancho

As was rumored for about a week, Chelsea have secured the signing of Jadon Sancho from Manchester United, acquiring one of England's most talented wingers on loan with an unknown obligation to buy attached. The move brings a proven Champions League commodity to Chelsea, and Sancho is capable of getting starts on either wing, with the left wing actually being the most pressing need in light of Mykhaylo Mudryk's inconsistency. Chelsea are beyond loaded on the flanks with Sancho entering the fray. Here is a look at how the Blues could potentially line up with the talented 24-year-old from Dortmund in the XI. Defense GK Filip Jorgensen - The new signing should be the nailed-on starter in goal ahead of Robert Sanchez, even if Enzo Maresca bizarrely wants to stick with the carryover star...
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How Raheem Sterling and his playing style fit Arsenal
30Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

How Raheem Sterling and his playing style fit Arsenal

After weeks of speculation, Raheem Sterling has indeed made a move away from Chelsea. But instead of joining Manchester United in a swap deal for Jadon Sancho, the winger is heading to rivals Arsenal on loan, joining Kai Havertz as the latest talented attacker to make the London switch. So far things have worked out for Havertz, who turned his career around in the second half of the season for Arsenal, and there is reason to believe that Sterling can benefit significantly from a switch to the best club in London right now. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was previously tight-lipped about the prospect of reuniting with Sterling, but we all should have known better than the sneakiest coach in the game had a trick up his sleeve. See, Sterling was a legitimate 20-goal winger at Mancheste...
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Grading every summer 2024 transfer made by Manchester United
30Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

Grading every summer 2024 transfer made by Manchester United

As the summer 2024 transfer window winds to a close, it's time to take a look back at how Manchester United did as one of the biggest buyers in the market. Man United's activity in the transfer window was to be expected, if not outright necessary. The Red Devils finished eighth in the Premier League last season and had a new ownership group coming in, INEOS, who decided to make the controversial decision to keep embattled manager Erik ten Hag for another season. So of course Manchester United had to spend to upgrade their squad at all levels, because they had pressing needs at pretty much every single position except for the attacking midfield. Here is a grade for every major signing Manchester United made this summer. All transfer fee figures are from Transfermarkt. CB Leny Yoro...
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A possible West Ham starting lineup with Carlos Soler
30Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

A possible West Ham starting lineup with Carlos Soler

West Ham are closing in on the signing of attacking midfielder Carlos Soler, who spent the last two seasons with PSG after previously scoring 11 goals in back-to-back seasons with Valencia in LaLiga. New West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui saw Soler's quality up close in Spanish football, and it seems like he is sold on the former Spanish national team player as a piece of the puzzle in London. Soler could be replacing 2023 signing James Ward-Prowse as a main attacking midfielder - of which Lopetegui has been deploying two recently for the Hammers. With new, talented faces in defense, midfield, and attack - including those with LaLiga ties like ex-Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez - there is a great deal of optimism surrounding West Ham in 2024/25. Assuming all goes well and Sole...
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The LW Arsenal could sign who would actually be an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli
30Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

The LW Arsenal could sign who would actually be an upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli

Arsenal were supposed to be the biggest buyers for a striker in the summer transfer window, and they were also heavily linked with signing a winger - or even two - for depth purposes. Instead, Arsenal look increasingly likely to stick with the quintet of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Bukayo Saka as their main attack next season. A move in the final days of the summer window for an attacker should not be ruled out, but it seems like Arsenal are mostly looking at depth options, such as a backup goalkeeper to replace Aaron Ramsdale, rather than a blockbuster No. 9 like Ivan Toney or Victor Osimhen. Interestingly enough, the biggest name now linked to Arsenal from an attacking perspective is a transfer target for the summer 2025 transfer window,...
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Celtic are taking a huge gamble to make a record signing
30Aug By Joe SorianoNo Comments
Features

Celtic are taking a huge gamble to make a record signing

Celtic made a major sale this summer, sending superstar midfielder Matt O'Riley to rising Premier League side Brighton after receiving other offers from England, as well as notable transfer interest from Spanish and Italian clubs headed for the Champions League in Atletico Madrid and Atalanta. Now, Celtic need to make sure they have a strong enough squad to win the Scottish Premiership again and maybe even make some noise in the new-look Champions League format. Right now, it looks like they have a main midfield target in mind, as Celtic have been frequently linked with a move for 20-year-old Augsburg midfielder Arne Engels. After seeing their initial offer worth a few million pounds soundly rejected by Augsburg, Celtic were informed that the Bundesliga side would like at least 10...
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